App Review Avira Free Review

It is advised to take all reviews with a grain of salt. In extreme cases some reviews use dramatization for entertainment purposes.

tonibalas

Level 40
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Sep 26, 2014
2,973
A test of the Pro version will be uploaded eventually, but I have to keep repeating the same thing: 18 hours of revision a week, daily coursework, daily school work, other activities & still people expect me to release the videos.
You will upload when you have the time to do the test and don't worry about us asking for a review.
Real life comes first and especially school which is the most important of all:)
 

spaceoctopus

Level 16
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Jul 13, 2014
766
Some say that Avira doesn't have behavioral protection, but i think it's not exact.:)First it's not the only product that a Ransomware has passed through.

Avira has excellent signatures, added to that they have advanced heuristic signatures, which they focus a lot on, a bit like ESET. Heuristics signatures are some kind of ''behavioral signatures'' if you want, able to detect zero-days. It also uses it's cloud for behavioural detection. Usually after its Luke Filewalker scan, that pops up, you get a notification describing that some suspicious items have been found. Then you get the option to remove them all. Behavioural analysis is done in the Cloud, like many other product does. And you also get some HIPS functionality, when some kind of malware or suspicious program tries to mess up with windows hosts.
 

Xsjx

Level 13
Verified
Feb 21, 2017
613
Some say that Avira doesn't have behavioral protection, but i think it's not exact.:)First it's not the only product that a Ransomware has passed through.

Avira has excellent signatures, added to that they have advanced heuristic signatures, which they focus a lot on, a bit like ESET. Heuristics signatures are some kind of ''behavioral signatures'' if you want, able to detect zero-days. It also uses it's cloud for behavioural detection. Usually after its Luke Filewalker scan, that pops up, you get a notification describing that some suspicious items have been found. Then you get the option to remove them all. Behavioural analysis is done in the Cloud, like many other product does. And you also get some HIPS functionality, when some kind of malware or suspicious program tries to mess up with windows hosts.
Ye i got that too that it says suspicous files found..
I always send it to Avira by clicking the mail icon ;)
THey reply fast with the analys :) Some sort of Cybercapture?
 

Der.Reisende

Level 45
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Dec 27, 2014
3,423
conclusion : avira free is ok but not superb in this test....the pro version will have other results because of more features are implemented
The paid versions advertise with new / improved Anti-Ransom. I haven't done much tests with Avira Pro v2017 (had it installed only for a few days), however a simple Locky (scriptor) cracked it without any warning by Avira.
Seems as if @cruelsister had similiar experiences (IS > Pro).

Video Review - Avira Internet Security vs Ransomware

Their signatures and their Browser Safety Plugin shine, hands down.

Thank you for the review @MalwareBlockerYT :)
 

Xsjx

Level 13
Verified
Feb 21, 2017
613
The paid versions advertise with new / improved Anti-Ransom. I haven't done much tests with Avira Pro v2017 (had it installed only for a few days), however a simple Locky (scriptor) cracked it without any warning by Avira.
Seems as if @cruelsister had similiar experiences (IS > Pro).

Video Review - Avira Internet Security vs Ransomware

Their signatures and their Browser Safety Plugin shine, hands down.

Thank you for the review @MalwareBlockerYT :)

Is and old vid... New version is improved ;)
 

Der.Reisende

Level 45
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Dec 27, 2014
3,423
Is and old vid... New version is improved ;)
Good to hear! Someone with an VM should fire up some tests with samples from the HUB against the BB component :) Cannot do it myself, would need to remove AVG each time from the host system (AVG requires reboot), as I use ShadowDefender.
 

Winter Soldier

Level 25
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Feb 13, 2017
1,486
Nice video, thanks :)
I know Avira Antivirus from many years and I call it spartan, but very effective with excellent signatures.
It seems also contains a behavior detection of suspicious file, even if actually I think its strength are the signatures.
Today we have to think in terms of multi-layered security approach : antimalware, antiransomware, sandbox, advanced firewall, etc, so Avira is just a part of this security context, making its good part.
 

uninfected1

Level 11
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Top Poster
Well-known
Jan 28, 2016
525
Their signatures and their Browser Safety Plugin shine, hands down.
I don't do any malware testing myself so I can't really comment on that, but one thing I did notice about Avira Free when I tried it recently was how much CPU it uses when it updates, and takes several minutes to do so, and while this is happening my computer is very sluggish/freezes and can't be used for much else. On the other hand Panda only takes a few seconds to update and it has very little system impact whilst doing so.

One Avira product I have hung onto though is the Browser Safety extension you mention @Der.Reisende. I've been looking for a decent replacement for WOT since I got rid of it a while back after its questionable activities, and it seems this Avira plugin is more than up to the job and actually appears to do quite a bit more. The only slight issue was it conflicted somewhat with uBlock Origin, but replacing uBO with Adguard solved the problem.
 

Xsjx

Level 13
Verified
Feb 21, 2017
613
I don't do any malware testing myself so I can't really comment on that, but one thing I did notice about Avira Free when I tried it recently was how much CPU it uses when it updates, and takes several minutes to do so, and while this is happening my computer is very sluggish/freezes and can't be used for much else. On the other hand Panda only takes a few seconds to update and it has very little system impact whilst doing so.

One Avira product I have hung onto though is the Browser Safety extension you mention @Der.Reisende. I've been looking for a decent replacement for WOT since I got rid of it a while back after its questionable activities, and it seems this Avira plugin is more than up to the job and actually appears to do quite a bit more. The only slight issue was it conflicted somewhat with uBlock Origin, but replacing uBO with Adguard solved the problem.
Avira should be set to automaticly update every 15 min... THen it wont do any system impact ;)
 
M

MalwareBlockerYT

Thread author
Thanks for all the amazing discussion guys!

The cloud is the strongest component in Avira ;)

But i know it hard :)
Hopefully u get one time more time to make vids :)
It does seem like it is & after my exams then yes I will have plenty of time to make videos apart from when I go on holiday :p

bad result in my opinion...other free av's have more protection layers or components.

i see avira free like windows defender...basic protection and not anymore
I don't think it performed badly, but its Prevention wasn't great.

Actually No Amico it scores in many test munch better than Emsisoft ;)
But i shouldnt say anything about ~Avira has won product of the year` so i dont gonna talk about it ;)

But the best part is it has 11 Engines in the cloud ;)
And it has The best heuristics
I cant say anything about the bb blocker :p ( Beta for pro version )
The problem with AV-Test & AV-Comparatives is that if you check all of their results you see a strange pattern - some get 100% & others get 99%. AV-Test also uses 13000+ samples which are 4 weeks old - a sample over 1 week old is an old sample.

You will upload when you have the time to do the test and don't worry about us asking for a review.
Real life comes first and especially school which is the most important of all:)
Thanks :)

Some say that Avira doesn't have behavioral protection, but i think it's not exact.:)First it's not the only product that a Ransomware has passed through.

Avira has excellent signatures, added to that they have advanced heuristic signatures, which they focus a lot on, a bit like ESET. Heuristics signatures are some kind of ''behavioral signatures'' if you want, able to detect zero-days. It also uses it's cloud for behavioural detection. Usually after its Luke Filewalker scan, that pops up, you get a notification describing that some suspicious items have been found. Then you get the option to remove them all. Behavioural analysis is done in the Cloud, like many other product does. And you also get some HIPS functionality, when some kind of malware or suspicious program tries to mess up with windows hosts.
Thanks for explaining :)

In my opinion, it is the best free antivirus along with Avast, the only problem is the outdated interface.
I would definately recommend Bitdefender Free over Avira Free - almost everything about Bitdefender Free is better than Avira (in my opinion) other than the settings.

Nice video, thanks :)
I know Avira Antivirus from many years and I call it spartan, but very effective with excellent signatures.
It seems also contains a behavior detection of suspicious file, even if actually I think its strength are the signatures.
Today we have to think in terms of multi-layered security approach : antimalware, antiransomware, sandbox, advanced firewall, etc, so Avira is just a part of this security context, making its good part.
It's strength is definately the signatures, they just need to work on the GUI & other layers/components next.
 

Xsjx

Level 13
Verified
Feb 21, 2017
613
Thanks for all the amazing discussion guys!


It does seem like it is & after my exams then yes I will have plenty of time to make videos apart from when I go on holiday :p


I don't think it performed badly, but its Prevention wasn't great.


The problem with AV-Test & AV-Comparatives is that if you check all of their results you see a strange pattern - some get 100% & others get 99%. AV-Test also uses 13000+ samples which are 4 weeks old - a sample over 1 week old is an old sample.


Thanks :)


Thanks for explaining :)


I would definately recommend Bitdefender Free over Avira Free - almost everything about Bitdefender Free is better than Avira (in my opinion) other than the settings.


It's strength is definately the signatures, they just need to work on the GUI & other layers/components next.
Do u think Avira free or Avast free is better?
 
M

MalwareBlockerYT

Thread author
Do u think Avira free or Avast free is better?
Avast & Bitdefender Free are better than Avira Free in my opinion. Both have better GUIs, solid performance, Avast Free has customization, all 3 have great detection, but Avast Free + Bitdefender Free have improved Prevention.

In my opinion avast free is better than avira free (with avast you can also do a custom install and choose which components you want), i have tested them in the past 5 months, but i'll stick with Bitdefender free.
Good choice :)
 

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